


The Hundred Dollar Bid

by AQuinton



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BUT I LOVE THEM, Date Auction, Established shallura, F/M, M/M, Oneshot, Texting, broganes, but it's something!, getting through that writer's block, pre-klance, tbh this is just trash fluff, they're so awkward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 18:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9914516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AQuinton/pseuds/AQuinton
Summary: “One hundred dollars!” The second row man yelled, throwing up both hands.“One hundred dollars!” Matt repeated. “Do I hear one-hundred-and-five?”But it was done. The bid went to the second row hotty and Keith was losing his mind. As were the two friends seated around the bidder. They whacked him on the back and howled with laughter, while the main man hid his face in his hands like he couldn’t believe what had just happened. Keith couldn’t either.--Shiro convinced Keith to participate in a date auction for charity and now he has to go on a date with Lance. Lots of fluff and ridiculous text conversations ensue.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Holly_Batali](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holly_Batali/gifts).



> This is a super late gift for my dear friend Tifa who has been going through rough times and I just want to make her happy with cheesy Klance and Shallura <3 And whoo boy is it cheesy!  
> \--  
> Edit: Apparently there's been some weird stuff going on with it not showing the whole fic? I'm hoping I fixed it, but if not let me know ^^

Keith wasn’t quite sure how Shiro had talked him into this ridiculous auction. “It’s for charity,” Shiro reminded him as they got ready to go. “And because it’s for charity, do you think you can at least brush your hair?”

Keith glared at his own reflection. Shiro had already forced him into a red button-up shirt and slacks. But now he wanted him to brush his hair? He was pushing his luck. “Shiro, you owe me big time for this.”

“You think I want to do this? I’m only do it as a favor to Matt. And you’re doing it as a favor to me.” Shiro shot him that million dollar smile that Keith just couldn’t say no to, no matter how hard he tried.

He pulled the comb through his hair, refusing to make eye contact with Shiro. “This is the last time I do you any favors.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, we’ll be late.”

They drove together to the college campus. The actual event was taking place in a coffee shop where many local artists were known to perform. But tonight, the stage was being used for more nefarious purposes. Men were being auctioned off for the purpose of raising money for several local charities. Awful.

“Thank you guys so much for coming!” Matt yelled when they showed up. Matt and Shiro had been roommates in their freshman year of college. When Keith had come to college, Shiro had decided to move in with him and Matt had taken up residence with his younger sister. But they’d kept in contact. And when Matt’s final grade in his management class had depended on this auction, he called on Shiro to help.

Matt held up a clipboard and made some notes. “The auction starts in ten minutes, but there’s water and snacks you can eat before then. Just make sure you don’t get anything stuck in your teeth,” he joked. “Keith, you’ll be number seven. Shiro, you’re going to be finishing up the auction at twenty. I’m relying on you bringing in all the money the others haven’t, alright?”

Shiro rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. “Oh, okay…”

“You’ll be great.” And with that, Matt was off dealing with other auction pieces.

\--

A few minutes before it started, all the men were lined up in order next to the stage. Keith tried not to fidget, but failed. He picked at his shirt buttons, rocked back and forth on his feet, and kept tucking stray hairs behind his ears. Number one went up, and things were under way. Keith kinda zoned out until he heard number seven get called. Someone pushed him up onto the stage and he stared out into the crowd. The lights were glaring and made it almost impossible to see anyone in the audience. But then they switched to a spotlight on Keith and Matt started talking.

“Ladies and gentlemen, do I have a treat for you. Number seven goes by the name Keith. He’s a sophomore here, studying mechanical engineering. On weekends he likes to ride his motorcycle to the beach and write poetry.” Keith shot Matt a look. How did he know that? He then turned his glare towards Shiro. He’d been betrayed. “Smart, handsome, and a poet? Quite the package. So, we’ll start the bidding at twenty dollars. Do I hear twenty?”

And the auction started. Keith knew that it was just for a date. Not anything more, but he still couldn’t help himself from cringing when a perky, blonde bidded first. He wasn’t sure quite how an evening alone with her would go. The number kept going up though, with both males and females jumping in. Thirty. Forty. Fifty. Sixty. Keith was in shock. He hadn’t expected to get much more than thirty, but here they were. Sixty and counting. It paused at eighty.

“Do I hear eighty-five?” Matt asked, his gavel hovering over the podium.

“Eighty-five!” a man yelled from the second row. Keith zeroed in on him and his heart did a backflip. The mystery bidder was tall and lanky. He sat reclined in a chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. In blue jeans and a t-shirt, he looked relaxed. Short brown hair framed his tanned face and Keith really hoped he wasn’t blushing. 

“I’ve got eighty-five to the handsome man in the second row,” Matt continued. “Do I hear ninety?”

“Ninety!” another person called, but Keith’s eyes were still glued to the handsome bidder. He silently willed him to keep bidding.

“Ninety over there. Do I hear ninety-five?”

Silence.

“Going once?” Nothing. Keith willed harder. “Going twice?”

“One hundred dollars!” The second row man yelled, throwing up both hands.

“One hundred dollars!” Matt repeated. “Do I hear one-hundred-and-five?”

But it was done. The bid went to the second row hotty and Keith was losing his mind. As were the two friends seated around the bidder. They whacked him on the back and howled with laughter, while the main man hid his face in his hands like he couldn’t believe what had just happened. Keith couldn’t either. He walked off the stage and took his seat once again. Shiro quickly made his way over.

“Wow, not bad, not bad,” he joked, a glimmer in his eye. “With that maybe I don’t need to raise as much on my own.”

“Shut up,” Keith mumbled, thankful for the dim lights off stage. He was definitely blushing now. “I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

“Oh yeah? Are you worried about going on a date with Mr.Tall-Dark-and-Handsome?”

“Don’t call him that.”

“You’ll be fine,” Shiro said, a bit more serious now. He patted Keith on the arm, but when Keith didn’t respond, made his way back to his seat. Keith didn’t pay any attention until the end, when Shiro was called up onto the stage.

“I’d like to thank you all for all your wonderful donations up until this point,” Matt started. “This will be our final auction of the night. Number twenty.” Shiro walked into the spotlight and the audience started screaming. Shiro, in his tight black button-up and slacks, rubbed at his neck. Even Keith had to admit he looked good. The crowd definitely agreed, as they only quieted down when Matt shushed them. “Takashi Shirogane, or Shiro as his friends call him, is an ex-marine. He’s in his senior year here, studying organizational leadership. His hobbies include working out at the gym, volunteering for charity, and being an overall amazing guy.” Matt had clearly written this introduction. Shiro  _ was  _ a great guy, but he was also humble. No way he would’ve called himself an amazing guy. But the audience was eating it up. “So, now that you know what a hunk our final man is, we’ll start the bidding at forty dollars. Do I hear forty?”

And the chaos began. Women and men began screaming out numbers faster than Matt could call out. Keith knew Shiro was probably in shock, but he couldn’t help but chuckle. He deserved this after what Keith had been through. The bidding finally slowed down around two hundred dollars. But Matt wasn’t satisfied. 

“Come on, people. This is a very good deal. Just two hundred dollars to spend the evening with this!” There was mumbling, but no one spoke up. Matt shook his head. “Shiro, can I ask you a favor? For charity?” Shiro looked wary, but nodded. “Can you just show off a little bit of abs? Just to get the bidding going again?”

“Matt, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Shiro deadpanned.

“Come on, man. Why do you even go to the gym? Plus, we’re so close to our goal! Think of the food and supplies we could buy!” Matt had won him over. With an extremely red face and while refusing to make eye contact with anyone, he lifted up his button-up to reveal some rock hard abs. If Shiro was known for anything, it was spending way too many hours in the gym.

It made sense, what with his history, but sometimes Keith had to drag him home and remind him that he was no longer in the military and he no longer needed to be prepared at all times. It only worked half the time. 

“Two hundred dollars!”

And the bidding was back on. The abs had done their job. It kept going, finally landing around three hundred with this really cocky looking chick. Keith hoped someone else would jump in. For Shiro’s sake.

Silence.

“Two hundred going once? Twice?”

“Five hundred dollars,” a British accent rang strong through the room. Everyone whipped around to stare at the woman who’d just entered. She was tall, dark-skinned, athletic, with long white hair and the air of a goddess. Keith recognized her instantly. Allura. AKA: Shiro’s girlfriend. He was curious how Shiro had convinced Allura to let him do this. But based on the anger in her eyes, Shiro may not have even told her. He certainly looked sheepish up on the stage.

“Going once? Twice? Sold to the angry girlfriend in the back.”

They closed the auction and started working through all the paperwork, but Keith was enjoying the show that was Allura chewing out Shiro. “What part of no don’t you understand?” she demanded, all while writing a very large check. “You are going to be working this five hundred dollars off, you hear me?”

Shiro didn’t look that ashamed anymore. He just stared at Allura with those terrible googly-eyes Keith always hated. “Of course.”

“Don’t give me that look.”

“What look?”

“The ‘Allura can’t stay mad at me if I look at her like this’ look.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Allura sighed. “Whatever.”

“I’m glad you came.”

“Oh...quiet you. I’m going to go pay for our very expensive date.”

Keith snickered. “Oh, look who’s all cocky now. You do realize you still have to go on a date. With a total stranger.” Keith’s face fell.

“Don’t remind me.”

Shiro shrugged. “At least he’s cute.”

He walked away, leaving Keith with his mouth hanging open. Cute? That didn’t even scratch the surface. But Keith knew he needed to remain calm. For all he knew, the guy was a psycho. “Keith?” a voice called, pulling Keith out of his trance. It was the mystery bidder. He stared down at him with wide eyes and a hesitant smile. “I figured I should introduce myself. I’m Lance.”

“Nice to meet you,” Keith replied, awkwardly holding out his hand and hoping he appeared smooth when he felt like melted butter.

“You, too.” He chuckled nervously. Keith found it adorable. “Sorry, I’m normally not this weird. You’re just…” he paused, looking away and fidgeting with the bottom of his shirt. “Anyways, I was wondering what day worked best for you. For the date. That I just paid for.”

“I don’t have a lot going on. What about you?”

“I won’t know until I have my work schedule. Could I get your number?” 

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Keith fumbled for his phone before awkwardly opening his contacts. He handed the phone to Lance who handed his to Keith in exchange. They both lingered, each staring at the other’s contents. Trying to glean any bit of information about their mystery date. 

Lance had a lot of contacts. Most of them with lots of emojis next to them. It was different. But not bad different. “You really don’t like remembering people’s names,” Lance laughed. “These are all just descriptions of people. Red-headed science partner,” he began reading them aloud. “Dude who was selling video games; Annoying chick who calls too much; Brother’s girlfriend. I mean come on, man? Who doesn’t even add their brother’s girlfriend?”

“I added the contacts when I first met them and never cared enough to go back,” Keith defended, snatching his phone back. “At least I can remember who they are. Some of your contacts are only emojis? How do you even know?”

“Easy. Try me.”

“Fine. Computer, alien head, green heart.”

“Easy. Pidge.”

“Wow, and does Pidge know you have their contact as that?”

“Oh yeah, they love it.”

Keith just shook his head. Then someone called to Lance--one of his friends from earlier--and he waved to them. “I’ve got to go. But I’ll text you?”

“Oh, yeah. Sounds good.”

“Okay, bye!”

Then he was gone and Keith couldn’t help but stare at the new contact in his phone. Lance had entered his contact as “hot guy who paid $$ to spend time with you”. Then a blue heart. He was ridiculous.

\--

When Keith didn’t receive a text the next day, he was relaxed. It had only been one day, and who knew when Lance was supposed to get his work schedule. So Keith ignored his phone and focused on studying.

\--

The day after that, Keith distracted himself with working in the mechanic shop on campus. He was close to finishing his new motorcycle, but even working on that didn’t stop him from checking his phone every twenty minutes. But no texts.

\--

It was the day after that he received a text. He had just left his last class when his phone went off. He checked it, assuming it was from Shiro, but almost dropped it when he saw that it was from mystery bidder. After taking a moment to resume his composure, he opened it.

_ From hot guy who paid $$ to spend time with you _ _ :  _ _ Hey! Sorry it took so long to text you. My work schedule came late :0 _

_ From hot guy who paid $$ to spend time with you: This is Lance btw...just in case you forgot…;) _

_ To hot guy who paid $$ to spend time with you: How could I forget when you entered your contact info in my phone? _

_ From hot guy who paid $$ to spend time with you: Oh. Right. :D _

Keith took a moment to change the contact info before replying. He couldn’t take the conversation seriously with such a ridiculous contact name.

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: So, did you get your schedule? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Right! Yes! Are you free tomorrow night at eight? :) _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Sure. _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Yay! Do you want to meet there? Or should I pick you up??? How does this work exactly? Haha… :) _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Whatever’s easiest for you. I don’t know where  _ there _ is yet either. _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: :0 Oooooh yeaaaaah _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: What kind of food do you like? _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Any? I’m not picky. _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Okay! A surprise then! 8) _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: So...where should I meet you? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Oh, right. I’ll pick you up? _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Sure.  _ Keith sent his address and then realized that he’d been standing in the middle of the walkway smiling like an idiot for a few minutes. He quickly hurried back to his apartment, glad that Shiro wasn’t home when he got there. He didn’t need anyone to mock him for the way his face turned red when he got a text from Lance. 

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Sounds good! I’m excited! ;) _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: I look forward to it. _

Keith made himself dinner--a couple ramen packets with some eggs--before cozying up in front of his laptop to watch some conspiracy theory videos. It was then he got another text.

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Hey Keith, would you rather sleep for a week at a time and then be awake for a week at a time? Or only be able to sleep for twenty minutes at a time? :/ _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: What the hell? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Answer the question _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: I guess the twenty minutes at a time thing? I don’t see how you could function in society if you were only awake every other week… _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Right? That’s what I thought, but Hunk says that you wouldn’t be able to function on only twenty minutes of sleep at a time :( _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: I think some people do in college, haha _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: My thoughts exactly. Hunk doesn’t know what he’s talking about :P _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Who’s Hunk? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Best friend/roommate/saint/all around great guy <3 _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Gotcha _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Do you have roommates? _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Yeah. Just one. Shiro. _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: HOT GUY FROM THE AUCTION?? :0 :0 _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Umm...I guess? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: #jealous _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Cause I get to live with him? I promise it’s not that exciting. _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Cause he gets to live with you! I feel like that’d be fun…  ;) _

Keith blushed. He was not expecting that response. And because he had truly awful luck, it was then that Shiro came home. And Matt was with him. They both took in the situation quickly, then took seats across Keith at the table. “Spill,” Matt demanded immediately.

“Shut up,” Keith tried, but his face got impossibly redder. 

“It’s that guy, isn’t it? From the auction?”

“I said shut up!”

“It is,” Shiro confirmed. “No way anything else would make him this red.”

“Who’s side are you on?” Keith snapped.

“The side of true love,” he joked.

“Just because you found the love of your life doesn’t mean you can muddle in my love life.”

“No. But as your adopted brother and roommate, I have full rights to every detail of your life. It was in the contract.”

“Okay, sure, but what’s Matt’s excuse?”

“I’m nosy?” he offered. “And also the only reason you’re talking to this guy anyways, so spill.” 

Keith struggled in his mind, but figured giving them a small amount of information wouldn’t kill him. “Fine. We’re going to dinner tomorrow night.”

“And?”

“What? That’s it.”

“There’s no way you’d be blushing like that if that’s all that was happening,” Shiro said. “What else happened?”

“Nothing!” Keith lied.

“Keith,” Shiro said in that voice that means he’s not buying it.

“He just started texting me, that’s all. And we’ve been talking. And… I don’t know. He’s flirty? I guess?”

Matt and Shiro couldn’t help but laugh at Keith’s situation. “Of course he’s flirty. He paid $100 to go on a date with you, remember?”

“Yeah. But I don’t know how to...flirt?”

Shiro and Matt exchanged a look before a wicked grin split over Matt’s face. “Do you...need help flirting?”

“No! Maybe? I don’t know!”

“Oh, Shiro, they grow up so fast.”

Shiro fake wiped away a tear. “I can’t believe he’s already at this age.”

“You guys suck.”

“But in all seriousness,” Shiro added, his tone changing. “If you need help, we can offer advice. Or at least, I can. I’m not sure Matt’s qualified.”

“Why?” Matt cut in, indignant. 

“When have you ever had a successful relationship? Or a relationship at all for that matter?”

“Umm….” Matt tried, but failed, to supply a response.

“Exactly.”

“What did he say anyways?” Matt asked, trying to change the subject.

“I told him I live with Shiro and he said he was jealous?”

“Of living with me?” Shiro asked, confused.

“No,  _ of  _ you. Getting to live with me. And now I don’t know what to say.”

“Oh, I see,” he laughed. “He is trying to flirt.”

“But what do I say back?” Keith asked, flustered.

“Why do you care so much?” Shiro asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

“Because…” Keith paused. Why did he care so much? He’d never given guys the time of day before now, deciding instead to focus on important stuff like school and exposing that the moon landing was a fake. But what was so different about Lance? Sure he was cute, but there was more to it. Keith just couldn’t put his finger on it yet. “I don’t know. But there’s something about this guy that just...hooked me?”

Shiro nodded, apparently satisfied with the response. “Alright. In that case we can’t help you.”

“What?” Keith snapped.

“Sorry, man, but if you want this to work, then your response needs to come from you.”

Shiro and Matt rose from the table, headed for Shiro’s room. “Have I mentioned lately how  _ not  _ helpful you are?”

“You got this! I believe in you!”

Then they were gone and Keith was left alone once more. Looking back at his phone he realized he’d missed another several texts from Lance.

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Keith? Buddy? ^^;; _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: You there? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Sorry, didn’t mean to freak you out or anything… _

Keith panicked, quickly composing a response.

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Sorry! Got distracted! _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: :[ Got me stressed out over here _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: My bad. Sorry.  _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Np np  _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: I was just worried I scared you away. Which I don’t want.  _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. _

Keith couldn’t believe what he just sent. But he tried to take comfort in the fact that Lance sent something cheesy first. When Lance didn’t respond, he refocused on his computer. It wasn’t until hours later, when he’d studied for his midterm and had gotten ready for bed that another text came through.

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: How much spice can you handle? Like...on a scale of 1 to 5?? _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Is this about dinner tomorrow? Cause I can handle probably a 5 _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Cool cool, very very cool  _

Keith shrugged and allowed himself to drift off to sleep. 

\--

When he woke up the next morning, he groggily got out of bed. Why he signed up for a nine a.m. class was beyond him, but here he was. Stuck with it. As he turned off his alarm, he noticed several missed texts on his phone. Confused, he opened them. 

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Do you think there’s such thing as magic? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Like...Harry Potter type stuff??? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Oh...it’s 2 am :0 _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: You’re probs asleep...zzzz... _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: My bad X( _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Hunk and I just finished watching the new hp movie. It’s good. Have you seen it?  _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Right. Asleep. Okay. Sleep well <3 _

Keith shook his head at how ridiculous this guy was. But it was cute. And it made Keith curious about what it would be like to watch a movie with him. He smiled at the thought before replying.

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Dude, it’s 2 am, of course I was asleep. Magic could exist. Who knows? And no I haven’t seen the new Harry Potter movie. I didn’t actually know one was coming out. I’m not super into that series… _

The response came quickly. Keith was surprised, considering Lance had been up until two in the morning.

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: but you have SEEN the movies, right? _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: I think I’ve seen the first few cause Shiro forced me to. I’m more of a Star Trek guy myself. _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Okay. Well...that’s ridiculous. You are missing out on SO MUCH :() _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: Sorry? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Don’t you worry, we’ll just have to watch them together so I can convince you that they’re amazing _

_ To Cute Mystery Bidder: I look forward to it _

Keith covered his face then, feeling ridiculous for sending something so flirty. And Shiro, with him impeccable timing, came home from his workout at that exact time. And Allura came with him. Both of them looked tired from the workout, but happy just to be together. It was sappy, but in the way you couldn’t hate. “Good morning, Keith,” Allura said, helping herself to cup of water. She then handed one to Shiro and they both took seats at the table. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing,” Keith lied.

“He’s having boy trouble,” Shiro added, a smirk on his face.

“Traitor.”

“Oh, really? This is new indeed,” Allura said, fully invested now. “Who is this mystery man?”

“The one who won the bid at the auction,” Shiro supplied.

“Ah, I see. Have you gone on your date yet?”

“Not yet. We’re going tonight.”

“How exciting. Where’s the trouble then? Not sure what to wear?”

A whole new struggle opened up in Keith’s mind. What the hell was he going to wear? He groaned and let his head fall onto the table. “I don’t know how to do all…” he gestured his hands wildly. “This.”

Allur and Shiro chuckled, sharing a knowing look. “Everyone goes through this at some point,” Shiro explained. Allura nodded in agreement. “I mean, remember when Allura and I first started dating?”

Keith smirked at the memory. “How could I forget? You were a total idiot.”

“Yes. Yes I was. And we still ended up together, right?”

“I guess.”

“Which means that you don’t need to stress. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”

“Exactly,” Allura agreed. “As someone who had to deal with your brother’s ridiculous antics, I’m a bit of an expert. So trust me when I say, you’ll be fine. Just be yourself and it’ll all work out.”

Keith sighed, but was grateful for the advice. “Thanks.” He rose from his seat, cleaning up his breakfast. “I suppose I should be off to class. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“Of course. When’s your date again?”

Keith eyed Shiro skeptically. “He’s coming at eight...why?”

“No reason. Have fun in class!” They waved him off and Keith left feeling all sorts of feelings. He hoped that he’d be able to focus in class. He knew that he wouldn’t.

\--

He was eating his lunch in the commons, headphones in and head down, when he felt a tap on his back. Turning he was surprised to see Matt’s sister, Katie, smiling down at him. He pulled out an earbud and she asked, “Mind if I join you?”

“Go for it.” He gestured to the seat opposite him and she took it. Positioning her glassed on the bridge of her nose, she gave Keith a wicked grin. 

“So, I hear you’re going on a date tonight?”

“Where the hell did you hear that from?” Before she could respond Keith answered his own question. “Oh, I told Matt, of course you know.”

“That’s not the only reason,” she laughed. “You must have been too in shock to notice me at the event, but I was there. In the crowd. Next to Lance.”

Keith felt like an idiot. How could he have not seen her? “Wait...how do you know Lance?”

“It’s a long story. Short version: Hunk and I were study partners for a semester, so I spent a lot of time at his place. And he lives with Hunk. So that’s how I met him.”

“Okay, sure, why not?” Keith sighed.

“I’m surprised he never mentioned me,” Pidge joked. “I’ve made quite the impact on his life.”

“Do I want to know?”

“Hey, if it weren’t for me you’d be going on some date with a perky blonde.”

“How do you figure?”

“I’m the one who convinced him to bid the hundred. He was hesitant, but I told him go for it. And he did. It was hilarious. Though not as hilarious as the past twenty-four hours have been.”

“I’m so glad you take such entertainment in our romantic lives,” Keith said, sarcasm evident in his tone.

“Hey, if you saw Lance squeal like a little girl over a text, you’d understand.”

Keith’s ears turned red. “Wait...over a text I sent?”

“Oh, yeah. I don’t know what you said, he wouldn’t say, but he rolled around on the ground for five minutes just mumbling nonsense about how adorable you are.”

Keith’s whole face was red now. “Katie, it’s not that I don’t appreciate you telling me this. But why the hell are you telling me this?”

“Because Matt said you were freaking out about it, so I thought it might make you feel better to know that you’re not alone. Lance is freaking out an equal amount.”

Keith thought about it for a moment and he  _ did _ feel better knowing that. “Oh, well, thanks.”

“Of course. Look, I’ll be real with you. I like Lance. He’s way too kind for his own good and tends to get himself hurt cause he falls too fast. I’ve seen him go through a lot of rough relationships, always getting the short end of the stick. And you...well, you’re heart’s locked up tighter than a prison. But you seem to be actually interested in making this work. That’s why I’m saying this. Don’t be an idiot. Just be yourself. Cause I think you and Lance could be really good together.”

“Katie, we’re going on a date, not getting married.”

“I know, I know. But I just wanted to put it out there before you freaked out and ruined any chance of anything.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“Of course.”

“Pidge, you coming?” someone called and Katie looked over. A large man--who looked Polynesian, with dark hair and skin--was waving at them. 

“I’ll be right there, Hunk!” Katie called back. It took a whole five seconds for Keith to make the connection.

“Wait,  _ you’re _ computer, alien head, green heart?”

Katie laughed. “I am! How did you know about that?”

“Saw it in Lance’s phone.”

“Of course.” Katie stood up, grabbing her stuff. “Well, I’m off. Good luck tonight!”

“Thanks. See ya,” Keith waved her off, then refocused on his lunch. Or at least he tried. He was still quite caught up in the idea of Lance rolling around the floor from one of his texts. So, he was left smiling like an idiot in the middle of the commons.

\--

It was seven forty-five at night and Keith still didn’t know what to wear. He’d practically cleared through his closet--and part of Shiro’s, but nothing fit him. Shiro and Allura sat on the couch, giving opinions as he changed. But Keith still didn’t feel good. He didn’t even know where they were going for dinner, so how was he supposed to know how to dress. Keith tried a new combination--black jeans and a red v-neck shirt with his leather jacket--before going back to the living room. “How’s this?” he asked, desperate at this point.

The two considered him for a moment before slowly nodding. “I like it,” Shiro said.

“Very you,” Allura added. “Not too dressy, but still looks nice.”

“Yeah?” Keith asked.

“Yes, Keith,” Shiro laughed. “Now just brush your hair and you’ll be all set to go.”

“Right.” Keith didn’t even argue he was so nervous.

“Brush your teeth, too,” Allura added.

“Yes, mom,” he called back from the bathroom. He stared himself down in the mirror, hoping to psych himself up. He supposed he didn’t look awful. Could definitely look worse. Luckily--or unluckily--he didn’t have too much time to think because just then there was a knock at the door. He froze.

From the bathroom he could hear Shiro answer and invite Lance inside. If Keith didn’t move soon, Shiro would probably tell Lance a bunch of embarrassing stories. The thought of that was enough to get him moving. He hurried into the kitchen where he found Lance chatting with Allura and Shiro. He seemed so natural. He wore well fitted jeans and a baseball tee, and actually looked like he’d done his hair. When he saw Keith, he paused and his face lit up. Keith’s stomach did a flip.

“Keith,” Lance said. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah, I’m all set.”

“Okay. It was nice meeting you two,” he smiled at Shiro and Allura before opening the door.

“Don’t stay out too late,” Allura chided.

“Make good choices,” Shiro added.

“Shut up,” Keith mumbled as he hurried past them, his face red.

He was grateful for the cool night air as they walked. He was just following Lance until they started passing the parking lot, then he got concerned. “Are we not driving?” he asked.

Lance glanced at him sheepishly. “Uh, no. I figured we could walk.”

“How far are we going?”

“Not far. It’s just a...twenty minute walk?”

“Are you kidding me?” Keith stared at him incredulously. “Why can’t we just drive?”

“I...uh, don’t have a car.”

“Why didn’t you just say so? We can take my motorcycle.”

“Wait...that was for real?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, in the auction they mentioned you rode motorcycles, but I assumed that was just to make you sound cool. I didn’t think you actually  _ owned a motorcycle. _ ”

Keith stared at him for a second before saying. “Well...I do. Do you want to ride it?”

“I mean...I guess? I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle. Is it safe?”

“No. I’m offering you a ride on a death trap because I want to kill us both,” Keith deadpanned. Lance tried to figure out if he was joking or not. “Lance. It’s safe. I promise.”

“Okay. If you say so.”

So, instead of wasting twenty minutes walking, they took Keith’s motorcycle. Though afterwards, Keith wonders if walking would’ve been easier. Keith had a spare helmet--he’d often give Shiro a ride--so Lance was safe. And he actually looked quite adorable with the helmet on, though Keith would never admit it.

But as soon as Keith was positioned and told Lance to get on, he froze. “Lance, you okay?”

“Yeah. Just...mentally preparing myself.”

Keith couldn’t help but laugh. “Lance, come on. I promise you’ll be okay.”

Lance took a step closer, but still hesitated. With a--what he hoped was--reassuring smile, he grabbed Lance’s hand and slowly guided him on the bike behind him. Both of them were slightly blushing, but Keith tried to focus on the task as hand. “Okay, now just wrap your arms around me,” Keith started, then stopped when he realized what that sounded like. “I mean…” But Lance was already threading his hands around Keith’s waist.

“Like this?” he asked, sounding more afraid than embarrassed. 

“You’ll probably want to hold on tighter.”

Lance listened. “Promise you’ll start out slow?”

“Of course,” Keith laughed. He started the engine and even just the sound made Lance jump. “You’ll be fine,” Keith said once more, louder to be heard over the noise. Lance’s response was to grip Keith tighter and rest his head against Keith’s back. The feeling of Lance flush against his back was...exhilarating to say the least. And when he started moving and Lance screamed a little in his ear, Keith wasn’t near as annoyed as he normally would’ve been.

He stuck to his word, though. He started out slow. After prompting Lance a few times for directions, he took them towards their destination. And it wasn’t until they were almost there that Keith got a little carried away. He revved the engine and took off down the street. Keith could feel every muscle in Lance’s body tense as they went. And they didn’t loosen up until Keith pulled the motorcycle into the parking lot and turned it off. 

“Sorry,” Keith laughed, pulling off his helmet. Lance was still hugging him, muttering about how Keith was a liar. “Come on, it’s over now. You survived!”

It took another minute before Lance pulled off his helmet and handed it back to Keith. And it only took another minute before he composed himself again and laughed, “Well, Keith, it’s official. You take my breath away.”

And suddenly Keith was the flustered one. Because Lance’s face was only a few inches from his own, his blue eyes reflecting the setting sun, a small smirk on his lips. Keith hopped off the motorcycle quickly, running a hand through his hair and hoping his face wasn’t red as a watermelon. “Where are we anyways?” he asked.

“Oh, right. My apartment,” Lance explained, getting off the motorcycle and leading Keith towards one of the first floor doors. “I wasn’t sure where to take you, so I decided to make food instead.”

“Wait,” Keith paused, a little in shock. “You  _ made _ me dinner?”

“Yeah.” Lance chuckled nervously. “Is that okay?”

“I mean, yeah, I just...that seems like a lot of work.”

Lance shrugged. “You’re worth it.”

Lance kept walking, but Keith was frozen in spot because damn it all he was already in too deep. This nerd, who cares if magic is real and uses too many emojis, who can’t handle being on the back of a motorcycle, but can make a home cooked meal.  _ This nerd _ who bid one hundred dollars just to go on a date with Keith, had already found a place in Keith’s heart. And the worst--or best--part is that it didn’t seem  _ wrong _ . It felt like that place had been waiting for Lance all along.

“You coming?” Lance asked, already at his door.

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Keith hurried forwards and entered ahead of Lance. The apartment was small, but not too bad for a college student. It had a small living room and a kitchen, then three doors along the right way--which he assumed led to bedrooms/bathrooms. But what really caught his eye was the kitchen table. It was done up all cheesy romantic style. Candles, roses, food set out already. Keith was in shock.

“Sorry if it’s a bit much,” Lance added nervously.

“It’s…” Keith tried to think of the right word as he approached the table. The food smelled great and everything just seemed right. “...perfect.”

“Really?” Lance seemed relieved to hear him say it.

“Yeah.”

“Well, just wait til you try the food.” They sat and Keith eyed the food on his plate. Pretty classic meal: steak, potatoes, veggies, rolls. But he was impressed that a college student could cook this well. “Now, I’ll admit I had help. Hunk is the real mastermind. But I was there for every step of the way!”

“So, I should really be thanking Hunk for this romantic evening?” Keith smirked.

“I mean...I guess. Wait, you think it’s romantic?”

“Well, yeah. Isn’t it supposed to be?”

“Yeah, I’m just...glad to hear you say it.”

An awkward silence fell and Keith decided to break it by trying the food. And boy was he glad he did. It was phenomenal. “Holy crap, this is amazing,” Keith said through a mouth full of steak.

“Told you.”

They ate in silence for a while, just enjoying the amazing food. But after a while they were able to fall into comfortable conversation. They talked about everything, from their major in college to their favorite sports teams to whether or not they believed in ghosts--Keith did, Lance was skeptical. And overall, the evening was  _ nice.  _ It was natural and fun and everything Keith didn’t know he was missing.

When they finished eating, they took Keith’s motorcycle to get dessert at an ice cream parlor. Lance did only slightly better with the ride the second time. But Keith didn’t mind. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to tease him though.

“How long until you don’t scream the entire time?” he laughed, helping Lance off the bike. 

“When you drive like a human,” Lance shot back.

“Compared to a…?” Keith asked, really just trying to tease him now.

“A vampire, Keith. I’m almost completely sure you’re a vampire now.”

“That...makes no sense.”

“You make no sense.”

“Let’s just get dessert.”

Lance stormed ahead of him, allowing Keith to smile fondly behind his back. How the hell did everything just work so naturally with this guy? How was it possible for him to be himself and yet still feel like Lance didn’t mind spending time with him?

It wasn’t until after dessert, when Keith was dropping Lance back off that he finally voiced his question. “Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot,” Lance said, handing back the helmet as he got off the bike.

“Why did you bid on me?”

“For reals?”

“Yeah.”

“Well,” Lance started, rubbing at the back of his neck. “At first it was cause I thought you were bangin hot.” Keith’s face turned bright red. “But then afterwards, when I started wondering if it was worth one hundred dollars, Pidge started telling me all this stuff about you. How you weren’t very social, but were a dedicated friend to those who knew you. How you have a hard time with school, but succeed because you’re too stubborn not to. That I’d be lucky to spend even an hour with you. And next thing I knew, I couldn’t wait to spend time with you. To get to know everything about you.” Lance finally made eye contact with Keith and there was a spark of hope there. “And I hope that...we can do this again sometime. Because Keith, I’d really like to spend more time with you.”

What Keith did next is one hundred percent the reason Shiro says he has no impulse control. Pulling off his helmet, he stood so he was mere inches away from Lance. And before the logical side of his brain could tell him to stop, he pulled him in and kissed him. It was impulsive, it was stupid, it was perfect. And Lance--who initially stood stock still in shock--eventually melted into the kiss, tangling his hands in Keith’s hair.

When they finally broke away, Lance had a goofy smile on his face. “Now I  _ really _ want to spend more time with you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I only cost a hundred dollars a night then.” 

“You’re joking, right? Keith?”

Keith revved his bike back to life.

“Keith? That was a joke right?”

With a laugh, Keith pecked him on the lips one more time with a quick “yes” before driving off. As he drove home he couldn’t help but look forward to the next time he got to spend time with Lance. And when he got home, he found Lance had already texted him three times.

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Thanks for tonight, it was amazing _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Are you free soon? _

_ From Cute Mystery Bidder: Like tomorrow morning ;)  _

Keith would never admit that he squealed like a girl and rolled around in his bed at that text--that was a secret he would take to the grave--but he did. Because he was infatuated by this boy who loved magic and didn’t believe in ghosts and thought Keith was a vampire. And it was perfect. And then he did something he almost never did.

_ To Lance <3: For you, I’m always free. _

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I'm convinced Lance uses a RIDICULOUS amount of emojis.  
> Alternative title for this fic: All My Headcanons In One Place ;)  
> Sorry if the ends a little sloppy...I'm not great at endings :P  
> \--  
> hmu:  
> tumblr: tarmour9  
> insta: attiequinton  
> twitter: attie.quinton


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